This May Be Harder Than He Thought
by Shanaberger
Summary: As Castiel, Sam, and Dean are fighting a witch Sam and Dean suddenly become de-aged. Terrible summary. My first fic.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my very first fic ever. Reviews would be lovely 'cause I have no idea if this is a good story or not.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural.**

It had been three years. Three years since stopping the apocalypse. Three years since Castiel chose to stay on earth with Dean and Sam. Three years that Dean, Sam, and Castiel had been hunting and working together. Castiel always knew that he'd stay with Dean no matter what, but he didn't think that it would entail being his babysitter.

They were on a hunt for a coven of witches when it all happened. Sam and Dean were about to finish the last witch off when Castiel finally became conscious. He only had seconds to react. He looked up to see Sam point his gun at the witch when he heard the Witches manic laughter.

"Even if you kill me, it won't do you any good. You stupid boys and your half-angel didn't even notice the curse that was set upon you the second you stepped foot in my door." The witch spat.

Then it all happened so fast. Sam pulled the trigger and the witch dropped dead. Castiel was surprised when the next thing he saw was a 4 year old Sam and Dean staring at him. He thought he had gone crazy so he rubbed his eyes a couple times but when he opened them 4 year old Sam and Dean were still there.

"Cas?" said a squeaky voiced Dean, "why are you staring at me like- WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH MY VOICE?"

Castiel just continued to stare. Every human experience he ever had, had never prepared him for anything close to this. He slowly stood up thinking if he moved to fast he'd scare the little boys off.

By this point Sam and Dean were staring open jawed at each other. They were babbling and pointing at each other and themselves like crazy people. All Castiel could catch of it was snippets like "wha-" "how" "four" and he started to think he died and heaven was playing a cruel joke on him, but then he remembered what the witch had said _"…didn't even notice the curse that was set upon you…_ ". Then it smacked him in the face like a brick would if thrown with that intention.

"Guys, I think the witch Sam just killed put a de-aging curse on you two." Castiel explained, "And from what I know of these types of curses… you're going to end up thinking and acting whatever age you de-aged to."

"It can be reversed right? RIGHT? Cas, come on man. Don't be messing with me here." Dean said, almost on the verge of tears.

"So this is my entire fault…?" Sam cried while dropping to the floor crying as Dean ran over and put an arm around his younger? (They were both the same age now so who could know) brothers shoulder, shooting Castiel a look filled with pure hatred.

"I'm sorry, Sam. You know I didn't mean it that way. Please, stop crying. Its okay lets go talk to Bobby and see if he can help us."

Castiel started walking towards Dean and Sam and as soon as he did Sam stood up and lifted his arms up in a jester to be picked up. Castiel tilted his head until Sam said "up" and Castiel picked him up and started walking towards the car when he felt something slip into his hand. He looked down and saw Dean's hand grabbed hold of his hand. Castiel smiled at how simple yet completely un-Dean like the action was and he thought that it would have taken a little bit longer than a few minutes for them to start acting like 4 year olds.

As soon as he got to the car he buckled Sam and Dean into the backseat and dialed Bobby's number.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews it made me smile for ever. Hopefully you guys enjoy this chapter as much as the last(:**

"Hello?" Bobby asked bitterly yet curious.

"Bobby, its Castiel." Castiel deadpanned.

"Cas, if you're callin' that means somethings wrong with Dean and Sam. What happened?"

"I really think this would be better said with proof to back me up. I'm coming over. We're about 3 hours away."

"Yeah, sure, whatever, but Cas you gotta-" and that was all Castiel heard before he hung up the phone.

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Castiel fixed the rearview mirror so he could see the little boys. To his surprise they were passed out in the back. He thought back to all the other times he's seen the Winchesters sleep and couldn't help but smile at how cute they looked. Dean with his head flopped back onto the seat while he was still sitting straight up and snoring while Sam leaned on the door and had a bit of drool starting to form on his lip.

Castiel sighed and backed out of the driveway.

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The 3 hour drive to Bobby's was quiet except for the occasional loud snore from dean. Castiel tried not to think about anything but what was in front of him, the road.

When he arrived at Bobby's it was a little after 4 in the morning. As he was getting out of the car, Bobby walked out of the house.

"So, what's up Castiel? What couldn't you tell me on the phone?" Bobby said with a glare that was pure Bobby.

Castiel just looked at him, then open the back seat door and slowly pulled a sleeping 4 year old Dean out of the car.

Bobby stared at him like he'd gone crazy. "That's not Dean, is it?"

"Yes, a 4 year old Dean. And Sam's on the other side, if you wouldn't mind getting him and helping me put them to bed in a proper bed. Thanks." Castiel didn't really ask as much as demand.

Bobby walked over cautiously like this was all a trap but once he saw the sleeping Sam his heart melted and he immediately scooped him up and showed Castiel where to put the sleeping boys.

After putting Sam and Dean in a spare room next to Bobby's that had two beds, one which Sam and Dean would share and one for Castiel, Castiel and Bobby went into the kitchen to talk.

"How the hell did this happen?" Bobby asked.

"We were fighting a coven of witches and I guess that they made a curse where if every witch died then the people responsible would be cursed and when Sam killed that last one, well you can guess what happened." Castiel explained.

"Wait, you said the people responsible would be cursed yet you helped them and you're still the same age." Bobby said.

"I thought about that also," Castiel smirked, which was still weird for Bobby to see 'cause he was used to angel Castiel who had no emotions and simple jokes were lost on him, "I'm still half angel so I don't think the curse affected me."

Bobby sighed and shook his head. "Well, what are you planning on doing now?"

Castiel hadn't really thought about it, "There's not much we can do. From what I know about these kind of curses it can go either one of two ways. They either become their old self's or…. keep de-aging until…."

"Until what?"

"Until they die…"

The look on Bobby's face couldn't be described by any other word than fright. Castiel knew that Bobby wouldn't let that happen even though there was nothing they could do at the moment.

"Well, I guess we'll have to childproof the house…" Bobby looked around and sighed for what he felt like was the millionth time that night, "and get food and toys…"

Castiel didn't even think about that, now he was encompassed with all the thoughts that new parents go through so he slumped into a chair and thought, "how am I going to support them?" "what if I do something wrong?" "what if one of them gets hurt?". Bobby noticed Castiel's frightened and also worried expression and walked over and set a hand on his shoulder.

"Its gonna be okay, I'll help you through this. You guys will stay here and we'll figure this all out. I'm gonna help you all I can. Just don't fret so much, Cas." All Castiel could do was smile up at Bobby with a smile that said 'thanks and I hope you're right'.

So Bobby and Castiel started childproofing the house, which really meant putting away all of Bobby's guns and weapons and making sure no books were in reach of children. They finally finished around 7 a.m. and Castiel decided to go check on dean and Sam and Bobby went to go buy food suitable for kids.

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Castiel walked into the room and was glad to see both little boys sleeping so he sat on what was said to be his bed and watched them for awhile. Even though he was extremely tired he didn't want to fall asleep until Bobby came home so at least someone was awake and able to watch the boys.

After a few minutes Dean stirred and woke up. He looked around and as soon as he spotted Castiel he jumped up and ran over and hugged him.

"Good morning, Cas." Dean mumbled into Castiel's shoulder, and Castiel hugged him back and said good morning too.

"Umm… where are we?" Dean asked innocently.

"We're at Bobby's." Castiel said, looking over to see if Sam was awake, he wasn't.

"Who's Bobby?" Dean stared at Castiel with curious eyes and Castiel sighed inwardly.

"You mean you don't know who Bobby is?"

"No clue."

"Well dean, He's an extremely close friend who we're gonna live with for awhile, okay?"

Dean just nodded and climbed off Castiel's lap and asked where the bathroom was. Castiel showed him to the door to the bathroom and was so happy when Dean didn't need any help. When Dean finished they went back to the bedroom and talked for a little bit until Sam woke up.

When Sam woke up he did the same Dean did and Castiel answered and took him to the bathroom the same way he did with Dean. Once Sam was finished he took both boys down to watch TV while waiting for Bobby to get back with food so he could make them all breakfast.


	3. Chapter 3

Bobby walked in the door about 15 minutes after Castiel had sat Dean and Sam down in front of the TV which was playing monster truck derby reruns and for some reason Sam and Dean seemed to be more interested in that then anything else. Castiel got up to help Bobby but also to warn him. After all the bags had been brought in Castiel looked at Bobby and summoned up everything he had in him to blurt out the small sentence, "Dean and Sam don't remember you."

Bobby tensed and then slowly turned around. Castiel could tell that he was trying to hold back the hurt look that should be plastered on his face but didn't say anything.

"I just… I just wanted to warn you. If they're anything like their old selves then you know they're gonna love you the second they see you." He stared at the floor the whole time he said it.

"Are you telling me my own boys don't remember me? What the hell kinda curse is this?" Bobby stormed upstairs and slammed his door, Castiel flinched at the sound.

He stuck his head into the living room to make sure his boys were okay and as soon as he saw that they were he set to putting the groceries away.

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A couple minutes later Castiel handed the boys cereal for breakfast and watched as they ate it in complete bliss. He knew a lot about humans and how they acted from all the hunts and places he'd been with the Winchesters but the more he thought about it the more he realized he had no idea what to do or say or even think about children. He decided that this would be a learning experience, and then he laughed at how Dean teaches him almost everything he knows. He didn't notice it but Bobby was watching him from the hallway.

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It'd been two hours since Castiel watched Bobby storm to his room so he decided to check on him and told Sam and Dean to stay where they were and to call for him if they became frightened.

Castiel knocked on Bobby's door and found it unlocked so he opened the door and walked inside. On Bobby's bed was a note.

_Castiel,_

_I caught wind of a hunt a few towns over and I had to go. Ill call to check up as soon as I can._

_- Bobby_

His first thought was to call Bobby and see if this was real or if he'd been kidnapped but then he thought that maybe he just needed time to adjust to the fact that his boys don't remember him. So he trudged down the stairs and told Dean and Sam that they were going in town, 'cause hey, they still needed clothes.

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The store wasn't even 15 minutes away and already Castiel had told them he'd turn the car around if they didn't stop bothering each other. Luckily neither boy called his bluff.

Castiel had been going over the list in his head. Clothes, car seat, and toys. He didn't think it would be very hard to accomplish if he did it fast enough. So he pulled a cart up next to the car and put Sam in the child's seat and put Dean in the cart and told him to sit down and when Dean sat he almost laughed 'cause he thought about how funny it was that the great mighty Dean Winchester was listening to him…for once.

He pushed the cart around the store until he found the little boys section and then he looked at the two boys so seriously that even Lucifer would have cringed.

"You two will stay by my side and never be more than an arms length away, understand?" He felt bad being so strict but he knew how if you're a Winchester trouble will find you no matter what.

Both boys shook their heads yes and as Castiel took them out of the cart Sam noticed a shirt he really liked.

"Oh, oh, oh, Casteel can I get this one?" Sam said jumping up and down and mispronouncing Castiel's name like normal, but when he saw the shirt Sam wanted he stifled a laugh because it was plaid and all Castiel could think was typical Sam.

Dean didn't seem to care what shirt he got 'cause he only picked out plain colors, so then Castiel had them pick out pants and a jacket and all the essentials they needed to be properly clothed.

He was surprised how well behaved the boys were being and thought that maybe they'd be turning back soon but suppressed that thought and any hope that came with it.

He walked over to the car seats and picked out two cheap ones that were also safe and then he walked over to the toys.

"You can get one toy each." He could tell by the brightness in the boys' eyes that he just made their day. He watched as Dean walked over to the stuffed animals and started looking through to see what all they had and then he noticed how bright and innocent Dean's eyes looked and how he just seemed so happy just by looking at a meaningless stuffed animal and then he looked at Sam and noticed for the first time that Sam didn't seem to look like he had the whole world on his shoulders and he just looked so blissful that Castiel felt as though he could tough this out just to see these two boys as happy as they are now.

**A/N: Sorry this one isn't that good. I have writters block and this was the best I could come up with. But I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. and thank you to everyone whose reviewed I send so much love your way(:**


	4. Chapter 4

As Castiel finished putting the car seats in he placed Dean and Sam in them and started driving home.

Looking in the rearview mirror Castiel's heart melted when he saw Sam and Dean both hugging their new stuffed animals (Sam got a moose and Dean got a dog). He would never understand why Sam got a moose but when Dean told him he got a dog because he always wanted a loyal best friend and a dog was just that, he couldn't see how this sweet little boy could grow up to be the man that he was.

The drive home was quiet and peaceful so when they pulled up to the house Castiel asked what the boys wanted for lunch. Lucky charms, of course, but he wasn't going to argue and soon had them sitting at the dinning room table eating while he went upstairs and put the new clothes away.

When he came back to the kitchen Sam and Dean were still in the same spot and just as he was about to ask something, his cell phone rang.

"Hello?" Castiel asked quickly.

"It's Bobby. How're the boys?"

"They're fine. Eating, just got back from shopping." It came out harsher than he wanted.

"Look, I'm sorry that I just up and left without a good-bye but this hunt… trust me you'll be glad I did it. I gotta go though, take care of my boys and don't burn my house down."

"Okay Bobby but –"was all Castiel got out before Bobby hung up. Castiel huffed and sat down at the table.

"So…" He had no idea what to talk about.

"I wanna color…" Dean whined, but when Castiel looked at Sam, Sam just shrugged.

"Okay, coloring it is, after you put your bowls in the sink of course." After saying that both boys slid off their chairs and ran to the sink.

He got paper and crayons out that he bought at the store and handed them to Dean and then turned to Sam.

"Sam, do you wanna watch TV or something?" Sam slowly nodded and so Castiel turned the TV on and handed Sam the remote.

After 5 minutes of channel surfing Sam finally stopped on Law & Order and Castiel couldn't keep the smile off of his face. He pretended to be interested but really he was watching Dean and Sam closely. Every time Sam said "Casteel did ya see that?" he would nod and indulge the small boy in his excitement. Sam and he never really had a close bond and so he enjoyed his small amount of interaction with Sam as much as possible while still watching Dean and Sam.

By the time Dean had drawn 4 pictures and Sam had watched 2 episodes of Law & Order Castiel decided it was nap time. So he put the boys down in their room and started doing research to see if he could find anything that may explain what kind of curse it was.

After about 30 minutes of research his phone rang again.

"Castiel, Im on my way home but you need to keep Sam and Dean up stairs. Im 30 minutes away and Im gonna need your help. –click-"

Castiel was in such a state of shock and fear that he didn't move for ten minutes. Bobby never needed his help. Bobby wouldn't bring something dangerous here. Why did Sam and Dean have to stay in their room? What is going on?

When he finally moved he tucked the boys in tight and rushed down stairs in time to see Bobby pull up and drag something out of his car.

Castiel rushed outside to help but all Bobby wanted was for him to make a clear path to the panic room and as soon as Bobby got the, what Castiel now realized was a limp body, into the panic room he cuffed it down every way he knew how.

"Bobby, what is this?" Castiel couldn't even think logically from fear of harm coming to his Winchesters.

"This, Cas, is the answer."

"The answer to what?"

"How to get Dean and Sam back. This witch use to be in that coven you killed, and she knows how to get them back to normal. She knows the reversal spell and were gonna force it out of her." Castiel didn't like the sound of that at all.

"So... were gonna torture her?"

"No, when I say force I mean we have to recite this" Bobby said while holding up a piece of paper, "and the curse will literally be lifted by forcing some magic out of the witch."

"That kinda sounds like torture to me, if she's not willing that is.

"Oh, she's willing, I told her I'd kill her otherwise." Bobby said it with sadness in his eyes and Castiel knew he did this out of selfishness more than wanting Sam and Dean back, and Castiel understood and didn't judge him for it because if he was Bobby, he'd do the same too.

"Well then, lets get started." Castiel said that with a little more enthusiasm than he meant for because Bobby gave him a strange look, "Hey, I love little Dean and Sam but I don't do well with kids. Its been a little awkward today." Bobby laughed at that and started preparing something on the table, "Go get Sam and Dean." Was all he said.

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Sam and Dean didn't understand why they had to stand holding hands directly in front of a body with a bag on its head, but Bobby soon started speaking and Dean and Sam forgot what they were thinking a second ago and started staring at the body that was now levitating in front of them. Castiel had told them not to scream or even move until told to do so, and they listened.

Bobby recited the incantation and then looked at Castiel and nodded, then Castiel took the bag off of the witches head and poured a lime green colored liquid down her throat.

A few seconds passed with an eerie silence encompassing the room when all of a sudden the witches' body moved to where it was standing in front of Dean and Sam.

She put one hand on Dean's shoulder and the other on Sam's. Dean dared to look at her and saw that the witches' eyes were the same color as the liquid that was poured down her throat but that was all Dean got to process before his face was being tilted up by some invisible force and a golden mist was flowing into his and Sam's mouth.

When the mist stopped flowing the witch crumpled to the floor and Castiel locked eyes with Dean and Sam to warn them not to move while Bobby said a few more things neither boy understood and then it happened in the blink of an eye. Sam started shooting up to his great height and Dean started to fill out and by the time 5 seconds had passed both boys were back to their older selves.

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After a few minutes of just staring at each other Dean finally thanked Bobby and said he'd take the witch back to Bobby's car so he could drop her off at home 'cause Dean knew she wouldn't remember anything. Sam just stared absently, still in shock from the great height difference he had to get use to in 5 seconds.

Castiel helped Dean with the body and Bobby somehow managed to get Sam up the stairs and into a chair in the kitchen. Bobby put coffee on hoping that'd help Sam.

When Dean and Castiel came back to the kitchen Sam had at least relaxed into his chair.

"So…. How'd you know that'd work, Bobby?" Dean asked.

"I didn't I just guessed and hoped and when I threatened her so told me."

"Well thank god for that." Dean was grateful to be back in his old body, Sam was too even though he still wore the face of someone who had just witnessed something terrifying.

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After two days of staying at Bobby's to make sure everything worked they finally decided to leave. Sam became Sam again a couple hours after they became adults and Dean was glad Sam did 'cause catatonic Sammy kind of freaked him out.

As Dean was putting the last thing into the duffle bag and Castiel and Sam were down at the car waiting, he saw the little dog he picked out and picked him up. He looked at it for a few seconds then hugged it and stuffed it into the bottom of his duffle bag.

**A/N: So I know it's kinda a terrible ending and I wish I could have written a much better one but even if I tried I don't think I could. Thanks for all the reviews, I send much love to anyone who reviews this or even reads it.**


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